A caveat: I am not your usual rap fan. I am proud to say I am a backpacker. I love hip hop. Not rap. I'll go to the club and dance to rap. I won't support it with my dime. Hip hop is something that is much higher to me. So I will say I am bias as hell. Deal with it.
Guru (one half of the duo Gang Starr) is a master in his own right, but his series of albums, Jazzmatazz is something fresh and much needed in the Hip Hop community. Make no mistake the series is different. These are jazz/hip hop fusion albums, featuring some of the biggest names in both genres. The best album in the bunch is the 2007 release of Vol 4.
The lyrics are pitch perfect, smooth and mellow, with the jazz laced beats ensuring your head will be nodding along. The production credit is given to Solar, and the production is tight. The album is devoid of the current rap trends, its production focuses on the smooth lyrics and the jazz performances, and not on overpowering samples.
It is hard to pick a few cuts to highlight from this album. This is an album to put on repeat and nod your head too. If I had to pick a few amazing cuts, they would be "Stand Up (featuring Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley)", "Connections (featuring Kem)" and "Fine and Free (featuring Vivian Green).
I can not recommend this album enough. It is one of the few albums that will consistently make you nod your head. This album is the definition of smooth and mellow. While this album won't kill the overly commercial ignorant pop based rap, this album will reinforce the depth and versatility of hip hop. And yes, I am bias as hell.
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All the Jazzmatazz albums are pretty fresh. To bad Premo and Guru ain't working together anymore. I hate to be a stick in the mud but Rap is an aspect of Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop culture consists of Breaking, DJing, Graffiti and Rap.
"Some Call it MCing some call it Rap."- Treacherous Three
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